Rufinatscha from Chandos

[Hovite]

Anyone care to explain (or try to) to what composer he sounds closest to

Schubert.

[Alan Howe]

Rufinatscha's sound world is his own, especially from Symphony No.5 onwards. The 5th has an aura of solemnity that stems form, say Schubert 8 and yet sounds rather like a more mobile and lyrical counterpart to Bruckner. The 6th Symphony is comparable with Schubert 9 in scale and in its heavenly length-style repetitions, but is heavier and darker in tone. I would put it in line of descent not only from Schubert 9, but also, say, Lachner 5. It is altogether more ambitious than anything by Mendelssohn or Schumann (excepting Lobgesang, which something of a hybrid work anyway). Rufinatscha's chamber music is less intense and serious, although still quite large-scale.

However, when all is said and done, he's not a clone of anybody, which is what made me first sit up and take notice of him. He's simply a one-off.

[Alan Howe]

The Chandos CD is due out in the UK on 28th March....

http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Chandos/CHAN10665

[petershott@btinternet.com]

When I was a wee boy at school we all used to compile charts showing how many days (or even hours!) remained until the end of term. Several decades later the habit remains, but 'end of term' has given way to 'March 28 and the release of the first Rufinatscha disc by Chandos'. It will be a red letter and flag waving day.

[petershott@btinternet.com]

Whacko indeed. An experience I've never enjoyed before in my life - having Rufinatscha 6 (and Chandos to boot) in the shopping basket and then pressing 'confirm order'. Marvellous! HMV announced it, along with all other March 28 releases, on their site this morning. And the HMV price (to UK customers) is of course, £8.99, free postage, and a sturdy little cardboard box. If HMV follow their customary practice it should plop through my letterbox on or about March 25. The Deity, who clearly does exist after all, along with the sunshine, is much in evidence this morning!

[albion]

Thanks for this, Peter - I've also just taken advantage of HMV's highly competitive pre-order price for the Chandos Rufinatscha. As a rule, I try not to duplicate repertoire and have really enjoyed the Tyrol recordings (which are remarkably accomplished and well-recorded for live performances), but the prospect of the BBC Philharmonic in this repertoire (plus the Bride of Messina Overture) is just too much to resist! 

[Alan Howe]

I'm sure you won't be disappointed!

[Alan Howe]

Well, my advance copy has arrived direct from Chandos and it is just as I had remembered from the recording sessions: this is one of the great unsung symphonies of the 19th century in a superlative performance and recording from Gianandrea Noseda, the BBCPO in Manchester and the Chandos/BBCPO recording team of Brian Pidgeon, Mike George, Stephen Rinker and Owain Williams.

The CD represents a substantial advance over the already very good recording available in Austria. In particular, the orchestral playing is much more polished and the performance is much more fiery - thanks to Noseda, who, by the way, hadn't listened to the Tyrolean recording before committing his interpretation to disc last year.

One of the records of the year and an absolute must-buy!

[Mark Thomas]

Can I bate my breath now?

[Revilod]

I've never heard a note of Rufinatscha but I've ordered my copy. If I'm disappointed after all the hype you lot will never hear the last of it!!

[alberto]

Me too never heard one note by Rufinatscha. Next monday I will meet Maestro Noseda (I am a simple fan) and I would compliment him for the enterprise.

[Alan Howe]

Perhaps, Alberto, you could pass on my best wishes to maestro Noseda? I met him at the recording sessions last November. If you could also ask him about Draeseke - I gave him the score of Symphony 3 - I would be very grateful...

[Mark Thomas]

I must say that I'm rather surprised by Chandos' claim on their web site that "The works presented here have never been recorded before."

[eschiss1]

perhaps except in 2-piano form so maybe they do have more than a picky point?

[JimL]

Where have you been, Eric?  The 6th Symphony was recorded by whatever the Tiroler Landesmuseum calls their label in both 2 piano and orchestral versions,